Could the Carolina Panthers get some sort of credit from the playoff prognosticators????
Talk about a team that gets NO airtime or consideration. Going into their game versus the Cowboys, it was Tuna This, Parcells that. The talk was how the Cowboys had destroyed the Panthers in the regular season, althought it was a hard-fought 24-20 victory that saw some of the worst referee-ing of the year.
Then when it came to the playoff game, Carolina virtually dissected the Dallas offense and defense. Carolina played a perfect game, with no turnovers and no penalties, something that only happened once before, by the 1976 Steelers in the Super Bowl. Three Carolina players (Davis, Smith and Muhammad) EACH had 100 yard games, and vastly underappreciated QB Jake Delhomme proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a play-off quality quarterback with a 104 QB rating versus the number 1 defense in the NFL. Not to mention the fact that Carolina has the hands-down best offensive and defensive front lines in the game today.
Now it's St. Louis will roll over the Panthers, the Panthers can't match the high scoring Rams, they can't handle the speed of St. Louis on astroturf indoors. Hmmm, Carolina decimated Indianapolis indoors on the carpet, and outsped them.
Let's not even mention how much of an easier season and easier opponents Dallas and St. Louis have been up against this year. Carolina has had to play the defending Super Bowl champs twice, the Cowboys, the Eagles, the Titans and the Colts.
I think the Rams are in for a very, very difficult day on Saturday.
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Now that I got that rant off of my chest, here's my picks for the playoff weekend...
NFC Carolina over St. Louis by 4. Green Bay over Philadelphia by 6.
(Carolina too strong, Green Bay still riding destiny)
AFC New England over Tennessee in a low scorer. Kansas City over Indianapolis by 3.
(New England is too balanced and it is gonna be cooooold. Kansas City's balanced attack will score too many points and Indy isn't set well to exploit KC's defensive weakness. Plus, Peyton would have played better if everyone wasn't saying the Playoff monkey was off of his back... he'll choke.)
Early Championship predictions:
Carolina over Greenbay (home field advantage and the Favre magic will have had its time in the sun).
Kansas City over New England (KC is a scoring machine and New England doesn't have the running game to exploit KC).
Wayyyy Early Super Bowl Prediction
Kansas City over Carolina by 9.
Much as I hate to say it, Carolina's running game will be great versus Kansas City, but KC's offense has no weak spots for the tough Carolina defense to exploit.
Anyone else wanna offer their predictions?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I stand by my earlier prediction, an all Missouri Superbowl...
KC vs Rams.
Rams win by 2.
Remember, win or lose, whenever the Rams get in a superbowl game, its always an exciting game.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Panthers win the Superbowl by 5 over New England.
Mainly because ex-Redskins have a habit of being the MVP in Superbowls, just to rub it in.
It's been a long 12 years...
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Yep, Davis is a workhorse and man, have we ever enjoyed his being here.
Best free agent acquisition of the past year, followed closely by picking up Jake Delhomme.
Posted by T. Analog Kid (Member # 381) on :
Not that it would have made any difference, but there was some piss-poor refereeing in that playoff game saturday night.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:I said: Panthers win the Superbowl by 5 over New England.
Back in the mid-70s as a wee lad, I was an Atlanta Falcons fan. After two decades of letdowns, the Carolina Panthers came to town and I was so happy to switch my allegiance.
Now, just a few short years later (after some rough, rough seasons) the Panthers are headed to the Super Bowl! Wahoooo!!!!!!!!
Man, this is going to be a tough game, though. I'd love to see Carolina win, but the Pats are about as tough of a team as they make. This is going to be a street fight.
Edit to add: One thing I loved about the Pats-Colts game: Grass Stains on Peyton Manning. I've always remarked on how he could finish games with his uniform still sparkling white. Good job New England!
[ January 19, 2004, 07:25 AM: Message edited by: Sopwith ]
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
quote:Could the Carolina Panthers get some sort of credit from the playoff prognosticators????
How about some credit from playoff procrastinators?
I predict: 1)After blowing an 11-point lead in the final 2:39, the Panthers will beat the St. Louis Rams 29-23 in double overtime on a 69-yard touchdown reception by Steve Smith. That will cap one of the wildest, most thrilling finishes in NFL history. 2)The upstart Panthers will become the latest team to torment the Eagles in the NFC championship game, winning a 14-3 shocker that will end with an injured Donovan McNabb watching helplessly from the sideline.
In two weeks I will have my predictions for the Super Bowl.